First, I have to apologize for not keeping up with a daily blog posting, but this will soon change. There really is no excuse, but what I have to say is this: I have certainly not forgotten about the Easter holiday because I have been practicing for the production that my home church, Mt. Carmel Christian Church in Stone Mountain, Georgia is getting ready to put on. It is scheduled for Sunday evening, April 17, 2011 at 7pm. It is called, The Easter Song and it may have taken some of us a little bit longer to get into the music and its message, but it is strong and so is the drama.
"It is going to be the best production, yet," says Trudy Daffron, interim choir director for Mount Carmel Christian Church. She is certainly right about that. She went on to say this, "whether we have a hundred or more in the audience that night, or we sing to ourselves, we will certainly be touched in a whole new way by this particular production." Again, she was right.
Speaking of Easter, itself, I want to say this. This is the time of the year that sees more conversions to the Christian Faith than at any other time of the year. I can certainly go into all of the statistical readings of this and at sometime during this post, I just might do this. However, what I would like to talk about is the last days of Jesus before He was crucified, Why He was crucified and What the ramifications are today because of His crucifixion.
Easter as we know, is a Christian holiday to celebrate not only the crucifixion, the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ, but also the spring season, to a degree. We find ourselves decorating our homes in more pastel colors, wearing clothes that are more pastel in color, and probably planting flowers that are pastel in color. But, the most important thing to think about is what Easter is truly about and that is Jesus Christ and what it is that He did for us by sacrificing His life for ours.
I would like to point out the scripture that talks about His last days and then get back to Easter and what it means to us. I am going to start with Matthew 26:17 and go forward to the crucifixion and then continue on. I will do all that I can to paraphrase what is going on at this point.
The Gospel according to Matthew:
We are at the point in the story leading up to Jesus' crucifixion where Judas Iscariot, one of the disciples, also considered a thief, had met with the Chief Priest's to do his part in turning Jesus over to them. He would receive thirty pieces of silver for his service to them and then he waited for the right time to turn Jesus in. At the same time, Jesus did already know that Judas was the one who was to betray Him to the Chief Priest and that Peter, another of the disciples was eventually going to reject Him three times.
Then, on the first day of the Feast of the Unleavened Bread, the disciples approached Jesus and asked Him where they should make preparations for the Passover. Jesus told them to go into the city (Jerusalem) and them him that the Teacher says: "My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house." (Matthew 26:18) So the disciples did as Jesus said and prepared the Passover.
Evening fell, and Jesus was now celebrating the Passover with His disciples by reclining at the table. He then went into the story. He said that one of the twelve would betray Him. They were all sad and began to say one at a time that it was surely not him. Jesus told them that it would be the one who dipped his hand in the bowl with Him. Jesus then went on to say that "woe is the man who betrays the Son of Man! That it would be better if he was not born at all.
Judas then went on to say that it was surely not him. This is when Jesus answered, "Yes, it is you." (Matthew 26:25). This is when Jesus took the bread and broke it then gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat, this is my body (Matthew 26:26). Then He took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. Then He said, "I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father's kingdom." (Matthew 26:27-29).
In the Garden of Gasthemene, Jesus told the Disciples that they would fall away on account of Him. Peter told Him that even if all fall away on account of Him, he never would. Here is how Jesus replied in Matthew 26:34: "Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times." Peter told Jesus that even if he had to die with Him that he would never disown Him. Everyone else said the same. Sometime from the end of the Passover feast to the leaving for the Garden, Judas had left the room and returned to the Chief Priest.
While in the Garden, Jesus told His disciples sit elsewhere while He prayed to His Father alone. He then returned to them and asked them why they could not keep watch for even an hour while He prayed to His Father. He seemed to be saying this directly to Peter.
A couple of times, Jesus went to pray to His Father and again the disciples would fall into sleep as their eyes were heavy. Jesus is now troubled to the point of tears. In Matthew 26:45-46, He asks the disciples, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Look the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us go! Here comes my betrayer."
While Jesus was still speaking, Judas arrived. With him was a large crowd sent to arrest Him. The crowd was armed with clubs and swords and they were sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people.
Then Judas said to the armed men and I am paraphrasing here, the one that I kiss is the one who you are to arrest. He then walked up to Jesus and said, "Greetings Rabbi." and then kissed Jesus on the cheek.
Jesus was taken aback by what was occurring in the Garden.
He asked if they thought He was leading a rebellion for them to come with such weapons. He went on to ask them why He was not arrested when He sat with the people in the Temple and taught. He would also say that the scriptures prophesied all of this to this point, so He did not stop what was happening. However, one of Jesus' companions stepped forward, drew his sword and cut the ear off of one of the servants of the high priests.
Jesus then told him to put his sword away. He went on to say that the one who draws the sword will die by the sword. (Matthew 26:52).
Then, without warning, all of the disciples fled and abandoned their Lord.
I will leave the next scenes for tomorrow as I want to stop here and talk about Judas Iscariot. Last Christmas, I had the opportunity to play the Innkeeper who turned Mary and Joseph away as she was to soon give birth to the Lord Jesus Christ. Yet, in reading scripture, there was not much about the innkeeper. I truly believed that the innkeeper who rejected Jesus' parents was also the one who then told them about the barn and that they could have it for the night. He was also the one who offered fresh hay and blankets to them. That is my thinking, but I could be wrong. I say this because I did not find in scripture where Mary and Joseph walked for miles upon miles looking for an inn.
Now, for Easter, I get to play the part of Judas Iscariot, the betrayer of the Lord Jesus Christ. I have to say that even though there are no lines, the thought of playing such a part is not easy. I also do get to sing with the choir, but playing this role is tough. I accepted it, so there is no being upset about it. It is part of the story and I live with it.
Judas found what he did was not right, especially during the questioning and the beatings that Jesus began to endure from the high priests and others. He took on the guilt and returned the silver pieces to the priests and then went off and hung himself. Thank God I do not have to do this in the production, but it is worth mentioning anyway.
So, goes the story of the Last Supper, the New Covenant created by Jesus, the betrayal and the rejection of Christ by His disciples.
Next is the trial and the walk up the Via DelaRosa to Mount Cavalry.
"It is going to be the best production, yet," says Trudy Daffron, interim choir director for Mount Carmel Christian Church. She is certainly right about that. She went on to say this, "whether we have a hundred or more in the audience that night, or we sing to ourselves, we will certainly be touched in a whole new way by this particular production." Again, she was right.
Speaking of Easter, itself, I want to say this. This is the time of the year that sees more conversions to the Christian Faith than at any other time of the year. I can certainly go into all of the statistical readings of this and at sometime during this post, I just might do this. However, what I would like to talk about is the last days of Jesus before He was crucified, Why He was crucified and What the ramifications are today because of His crucifixion.
Easter as we know, is a Christian holiday to celebrate not only the crucifixion, the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ, but also the spring season, to a degree. We find ourselves decorating our homes in more pastel colors, wearing clothes that are more pastel in color, and probably planting flowers that are pastel in color. But, the most important thing to think about is what Easter is truly about and that is Jesus Christ and what it is that He did for us by sacrificing His life for ours.
I would like to point out the scripture that talks about His last days and then get back to Easter and what it means to us. I am going to start with Matthew 26:17 and go forward to the crucifixion and then continue on. I will do all that I can to paraphrase what is going on at this point.
The Gospel according to Matthew:
 |
| Judas Iscariot front right leaving after being discovered as the Betrayer by Jesus. |
Then, on the first day of the Feast of the Unleavened Bread, the disciples approached Jesus and asked Him where they should make preparations for the Passover. Jesus told them to go into the city (Jerusalem) and them him that the Teacher says: "My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house." (Matthew 26:18) So the disciples did as Jesus said and prepared the Passover.
Evening fell, and Jesus was now celebrating the Passover with His disciples by reclining at the table. He then went into the story. He said that one of the twelve would betray Him. They were all sad and began to say one at a time that it was surely not him. Jesus told them that it would be the one who dipped his hand in the bowl with Him. Jesus then went on to say that "woe is the man who betrays the Son of Man! That it would be better if he was not born at all.
Judas then went on to say that it was surely not him. This is when Jesus answered, "Yes, it is you." (Matthew 26:25). This is when Jesus took the bread and broke it then gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat, this is my body (Matthew 26:26). Then He took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. Then He said, "I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father's kingdom." (Matthew 26:27-29).
In the Garden of Gasthemene, Jesus told the Disciples that they would fall away on account of Him. Peter told Him that even if all fall away on account of Him, he never would. Here is how Jesus replied in Matthew 26:34: "Before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times." Peter told Jesus that even if he had to die with Him that he would never disown Him. Everyone else said the same. Sometime from the end of the Passover feast to the leaving for the Garden, Judas had left the room and returned to the Chief Priest.
While in the Garden, Jesus told His disciples sit elsewhere while He prayed to His Father alone. He then returned to them and asked them why they could not keep watch for even an hour while He prayed to His Father. He seemed to be saying this directly to Peter.
A couple of times, Jesus went to pray to His Father and again the disciples would fall into sleep as their eyes were heavy. Jesus is now troubled to the point of tears. In Matthew 26:45-46, He asks the disciples, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Look the hour is near, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us go! Here comes my betrayer."
While Jesus was still speaking, Judas arrived. With him was a large crowd sent to arrest Him. The crowd was armed with clubs and swords and they were sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people.
Then Judas said to the armed men and I am paraphrasing here, the one that I kiss is the one who you are to arrest. He then walked up to Jesus and said, "Greetings Rabbi." and then kissed Jesus on the cheek.
Jesus was taken aback by what was occurring in the Garden.
He asked if they thought He was leading a rebellion for them to come with such weapons. He went on to ask them why He was not arrested when He sat with the people in the Temple and taught. He would also say that the scriptures prophesied all of this to this point, so He did not stop what was happening. However, one of Jesus' companions stepped forward, drew his sword and cut the ear off of one of the servants of the high priests.
Jesus then told him to put his sword away. He went on to say that the one who draws the sword will die by the sword. (Matthew 26:52).
Then, without warning, all of the disciples fled and abandoned their Lord.
I will leave the next scenes for tomorrow as I want to stop here and talk about Judas Iscariot. Last Christmas, I had the opportunity to play the Innkeeper who turned Mary and Joseph away as she was to soon give birth to the Lord Jesus Christ. Yet, in reading scripture, there was not much about the innkeeper. I truly believed that the innkeeper who rejected Jesus' parents was also the one who then told them about the barn and that they could have it for the night. He was also the one who offered fresh hay and blankets to them. That is my thinking, but I could be wrong. I say this because I did not find in scripture where Mary and Joseph walked for miles upon miles looking for an inn.
Now, for Easter, I get to play the part of Judas Iscariot, the betrayer of the Lord Jesus Christ. I have to say that even though there are no lines, the thought of playing such a part is not easy. I also do get to sing with the choir, but playing this role is tough. I accepted it, so there is no being upset about it. It is part of the story and I live with it.
Judas found what he did was not right, especially during the questioning and the beatings that Jesus began to endure from the high priests and others. He took on the guilt and returned the silver pieces to the priests and then went off and hung himself. Thank God I do not have to do this in the production, but it is worth mentioning anyway.
So, goes the story of the Last Supper, the New Covenant created by Jesus, the betrayal and the rejection of Christ by His disciples.
Next is the trial and the walk up the Via DelaRosa to Mount Cavalry.
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Should you be interested in a guest speaker for your church or religious organization, feel free to contact me at 404-494-6718 and I would be more than happy to meet with you for a great time of testimony and worship.